March 22, 2009 — Marissa Ruiz has the lofty goal of becoming the first Hispanic female airline captain. At the age of 16, and from the heights she has already scaled, she is able to see her goal in reach.
When Ruiz was in elementary school, she wanted to be a flight attendant when she grew up. The talkative young lady with a charming personality and long, shiny, curly black hair could have been the perfect attendant. But by the time she got to junior high, she decided she wanted to be a pilot instead. Ruiz, now a junior at St. Croix Educational Complex, says she is certain she wants to fly planes.
"My dad, Phillip Ruiz, is a firefighter at the Henry Rohlsen Airport, and as 'daddy's little girl,' it was an environment that led to my interest and passion in planes," Ruiz says.
Further triggering her intense interest in flying was the opportunity she had in July 2008 to attend the Organization of Black Airline Pilots Atlanta Aviation Career Education Academy. After hearing about the program from classmates, she sent an application and her transcripts, and was one of 30 students chosen from 2,000 applicants.
"There was a problem though — the program was taken care of by Delta, but I had to pay for airfare, accommodations and I needed a chaperon," Ruiz says. She went to the Saint Croix Foundation to seek help. She wasn't about to take no for an answer, and two days before it was time to depart for Atlanta, it all fell into place.
"She was just this amazing young lady with good grades in math and science, so we found the funds for her to go," says Roger Dewey, executive director at the foundation.
Her pastor from Speak the Word Ministries, Dexter Skepple, found past parishioners living in Atlanta to take Ruiz in for the week.
"The experience in Atlanta was marvelous," Ruiz says. "I cried when it was time to leave."
While in Atlanta, she met Capt. Rachelle Jones, one of four female African-American captains.
"She made such a huge impact on my life, that's when I decided to become the first Hispanic female airline captain," Ruiz says.
During the program they checked out air traffic control towers and flight simulators, and flew in a 767 to Houston's L.B.J. NASA Space Center.
"I want to apply again this summer and go as a peer counselor," she says.
Ruiz began taking flying lessons in November through a scholarship foundation that Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone hooked her up with for V.I. aviation students.
"This is a full-blown scholarship that pays for books, actual flight time and everything," she says.
She takes flying lessons two times a week out of St. Thomas with flight instructor Maurice Kurg, co-owner of Seaborne Airlines. Seaborne has donated the airfare to St. Thomas for Ruiz.
"Since Seaborne gave me the trips to St. Thomas free, I wanted to give something back as a volunteer or intern," Ruiz says. "I feel they give me a lot, so I give as much as I can to them."
She goes to Seaborne every day and helps wherever necessary.
Ruiz is the most pleasant, presentable and professional young lady out of all the interns Seaborne Airlines has ever had, says Omer ErSelcuk, president and CEO.
"She goes above and beyond and is extremely helpful," ErSelcuk says. "She has a very good sense of her surroundings, and is very warm and welcoming. We would love to have her work at Seaborne, and I hope one day when she is ready we will have her on board."
Ruiz hopes to have her pilot's license by the end of this year and her instructor's license by the time she is 18, and become an instructor at the university level. She wants to attend Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., and study science and aviation administration.
Ruiz says she will probably work for Seaborne, then Delta and UPS cargo.
"UPS pays the most, but I'm not in it for the money — I just love flying," Ruiz says. "I fly because it's my passion and desire that God placed in my heart."
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